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From the WSJ At Work Blog: A Happy Face for the Boss

Faking Enthusiasm at Work? Study Finds We All Do It

By

Rachel Emma Silverman

Jan. 28, 2015 6:02 p.m. ET

Science has seemingly proven what many workers know all too well: Employees fake a positive outlook when the boss is around.

In a recent study, employees reported that they tended to put on smiles and feign upbeat emotions during meetings when higher-ups were in the room. By contrast, when workers hold meetings with peers or with lower-status employees, they tend to express themselves more honestly, the researchers found. The study is currently a working paper that is under peer review at the Journal of Occupational and Organizational...